Fuelmeister II Biodiesel Plant

firefighter9208 · Apr 23, 2008

Homemade biodiesel conversion with Fuelmeister boidiesel kits

Do anyone have one of these? A buddy of mine and I are looking at going in together and buying one of these. We both have diesel trucks and tractors.

I can buy methanol for $3.18 a gallon in 55 gallon drums and have a source for used vegetable oil. It takes 10 gallons of methanol and 40 gallons of used veg. oil to make 40 gallons of biodiesel.

With diesel at $4.09 a gallon here we are seriously considering this.

Chris

Arc Angel · Apr 23, 2008

The fuelmeister does work but the cost is sort of high for the stuff involved. I made a 50 gallon processor out of stuff in the shop and the first batch payed for the fittings and hoses I had to buy. To get a good conversion I run at 135 degrees and the critical temp. for the FM poly tanks is about 140, It can be hard to keep plastic stuff tight and the process can be messy enough. I feel safer with steel. The only hard part of the build was making cone bottoms for my barrels with no brake or roller.
Mark

firefighter9208 · Apr 24, 2008

What do you run it in. Do you run B100 or blend. Have you had any problems with o-rings, hoses, etc....?

Chris

Arc Angel · Apr 24, 2008

Iseki TA210
JD 5020
Mercedes 300SD
Dodge 3/4 ton
Shop stove
I run B100 to B zero, blends during the winter, b100 when warm(30+) the only real failure so far were the injector return lines on the 300. They looked new with nice MB markings and all but lasted about 6 months. Amazing how big a puddle those little 1/8" lines can make in about 5 minutes!!! Went in the house for a coffee while it warmed up and came out to a flood. Nice thing about bio it just breaks down and goes away. A couple of months went by and the spill is gone with no mess left. EPA rates it as the same as dextrose sugar for clean up. (non toxic) 5 or 10 gallons of #2 would have caused a panic and big clean up.
Mark

Window Geek · May 2, 2008

Arc Angel said:
To get a good conversion I run at 135 degrees and the critical temp. for the FM poly tanks is about 140, It can be hard to keep plastic stuff tight and the process can be messy enough. I feel safer with steel.
Mark

After doing some research on-line, I'm going to build a reactor too. The conical plastic tanks don't sound like a good idea around flammable liquids. I'll build mine from steel containers and black iron pipe. It going to be in its own shed too. If I have a fire,

I still want to keep the tractor, garage, and house. Most of us tractor folks live pretty far from the fire dept.

I think you'd save a lot of $$$ doing it yourself vs buying one of those processers. Not enough heat to get a good reaction. I'll post a website with video instructions on Biodiesel how to.

Window Geek · May 3, 2008

Try this link:
http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/oil-fuel-lubricants/117008-do-you-make-your-own.html

One of the members has a link to Utah Biodiesel Supply. Lots of supplies, how-to, and video tutorials on making your own.

Now, do I buy a backhoe to dig the foundation for the shed?

johan3400 · May 9, 2008

my partner and I made ours out of an 80 gallon electric water heater. We transfer it to a metal cooling tank for separation and then to a heated wash tank out of a 55 gallon drum and on to another 55 gallon drum for drying. It was easy. We are making about 200 gallons per week of good bio-diesel. Works great in an L3400 or an 86 ford F250. My partner has three 60 hp deutz tractors and a 2004 dodge. We both are organic specialty crop farmers and use this for our fuel. I have had problems with filters when we do not pay enough attention to finishing the process. We control quality and sometimes we screw up when we try to short cut the time needed.

rdbigfarmboy · May 11, 2008

All the equipment manufactures say bio diesel. BUT I have 4 years on vegetable oil with no problems. Look at straight vegetable oil before you plunk down a wad of cash. My vehicle conversion cost is $200 per tractor or truck. Also consider vegetable oil has mysteriously doubled in price in 4 months time to about $7 per gallon at Sams.

Take a peek at greasecar and some other sites. I know what Im doing and Im not selling anything.

firefighter9208 · May 12, 2008

Can't run straigt VO, because I only live 8 miles from work. Wouldn't have sufficient time to switch over and back. Most of my trips or short 8-20 miles. Most of my tractor useage is also short amounts of time to move hay etc.....

Chris